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Ask Locals in Beijing!

Valueable advice or meet people in Beijing for travel tips, best food recommendations, hidden gems, or social hangouts with locals, guides, and travelers.

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Beijing ChemTech's Secret Societies?

fmd_good Beijing University Of Chemical Technology

I'm heading to Beijing University of Chemical Technology next month for a conference – super excited, but a friend who studied there years ago dropped a cryptic hint about hidden...societies? Apparen… more

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annelorewald ·

Honestly, I've never heard of specific secret societies at Beijing University of Chemical Technology. But, Chinese universities, especially older ones, definitely have a strong culture of student clubs and groups that are super tight-knit. They often develop their own unique traditions over time – some of which probably seem pretty weird to outsiders. Think years-long inside jokes, ultra-competitive annual events, possibly some really elaborate hazing (though hopefully nothing too crazy). It's all part of the university experience there. Your friend might be exaggerating for effect, or they're remembering things through rose-tinted glasses...or maybe they do know something. My advice? Get ready for some seriously intense networking! Join a few student groups when you're there, be open to anything, and you’ll probably find your own interesting stories to tell before you leave. The best way to uncover these things is by just... being there and experiencing the atmosphere. Good luck and have an amazing conference!

Image katrina · · OP

That's a really interesting take. I hadn't thought about it from the perspective of just intensely close-knit student groups rather than, you know, actual secret societies with clandestine meetings and coded handshakes. Makes a lot more sense, actually. Rose-tinted glasses definitely applies to my friend's account – they graduated like, ten years ago. Probably a lot has changed. Thanks for the advice about joining groups; I'll definitely do that. The networking angle is a great point, too. It'll be a pretty big conference so it's good to have a strategy beyond just the official events.

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mareike · #spice

Sichuan Fire?

fmd_good Sichuan Restaurant

So I finally braved that Sichuan Restaurant everyone raves about near the hutongs. The mapo tofu was *amazing*, seriously the best I've had outside of @Chengdu. But the service... oof. My waiter see… more

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anikaraschke ·

Nah, that's not standard. Some places in @Beijing can be a bit... curt, but outright annoyed? That's unusual, even for a busy Sichuan restaurant. You probably just hit a bad day/waiter. The mapo tofu redemption is a good sign though! Maybe try it again on a less busy night – or hit up a different spot in the hutongs. Plenty of great Sichuan options around there.

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